Alive After All
by arries1134
Summary: Sookie has worked hard to develop her fae abilities, and as a result is more faery than human. She realizes she made a mistake marrying Sam, and wonders if it's really too late to fix things with a certain Viking. Sookie/Eric *My very first fan fic, and the first thing I've written in years, so bare with me as there might be some growing pains*
1. Chapter 1

I was tired. Not like I worked out too hard, or didn't get enough sleep, but _tired_. Down to my bones, mentally exhausted. I couldn't remember not feeling this way. I walked into the living room to find Sam slouched on the couch, focused on something in his hands. A picture. I really looked at him, for the first time in a very long time. The years had been hard on him. His face wrinkled, permanent frown etched into his once soft skin. His hair was completely grey, and hung around his face in a wiry sort of way. He looked up at me then. I knew he felt me staring at him.

"You haven't aged."

He turned the picture in his hand, so I could see what he had been looking at. A picture from our wedding day. Ten years ago. He wasn't wrong. I looked at the picture, at the both of us smiling at one another. I looked the same, and he didn't. I nodded my acquiescence to him. It was the first time either one of us had acknowledged it, but I _knew_ it was on his mind all the time. It had hung around us heavy, like a third person in the room for years. He was aging. I wasn't.

I knew why. We both did, really. Shortly after we got married I started really working on my fae abilities. Training a few times a week. The more I trained, the more my abilities grew, the more my spark grew. I could feel it, feel myself becoming more fae and less human. I had spent so many years clinging to my humanity, trying so desperately to deny who I really was, who I could feel myself becoming.

Five years ago, Niall had come to visit me. I had been expecting it, honestly surprised it hadn't happened sooner. What I wasn't expecting was the content of our conversation. He explained to me that the stronger my spark became the more my humanity would slip away. I was already nearly full fae at that time, and I have only gotten stronger since then. Apparently it didn't (or did, depending on how you looked at it) help that I had Mr. Cataliades blood in me. Niall explained to me that somehow the demon blood was helping me to become more fae than I should, being that I was technically only 1/8 fae. The combination of how strong my spark was to begin with, and the demon blood, however small it was, coursing through my veins, allowed me the ability to become damn near full fae, once I allowed myself to.

"I know," I finally uttered in response to Sam, when I realized he was staring holes into my head. I wasn't sure how long I had stood there, staring at the picture, lost in my own thoughts. I glanced up at his face. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"There's not much to be said, Cher. I'm getting older by the second, and you're stuck in time." _Damn faeries!_ I could hear him think.

I let out a sigh. I knew this conversation would come eventually. Part of me had been wanting to have it for years, but part of me had dreaded dealing with it. I wasn't happy. Neither of us were. Sam had never really gotten over the feeling that he should have died all those years ago, and I knew he blamed me for the darkness it caused him. He would never say it out loud, but of course, he didn't have to.

And then there were my issues… I had never really gotten over a certain vampire. I had tried, Lord help me, had I tried. I had spent the last decade trying to love Sam, to be a good wife to him, to be what he needed. At times I even felt a moment or two of happiness, but it was always fleeting. Eric had given up 200 years of his life so that I could live a normal, boring human life, protected from all the Supes once and for all, and I had spent the majority of the last ten years trying to honor the gift he had given me. Somewhere in my heart I knew I'd never truly be contented living outside the realms of the Supe world; living without _him_ by my side.

 _We should've never even tried this shit. I wish she had never used that damn faerie shit on me._

His thoughts pierced my mind, bringing me back to our living room, and out of my own thoughts. My eyes widened, and I saw the glimmer of shame and fear wash over his face as he realized I had caught his thoughts.

"Well, shit, Sam! What should I have done?" I barked, angrier than I meant to be.

"Nothing, Sookie. That's the point, isn't it. You should've done nothing for me. Everyone knows you didn't want to. Everyone knows you instantly regretted not using that damn thing for Eric. I don't need to be a damn telepath to know everyone feels sorry for me because you're still in love with someone else, even after all these years. I know that's why we never had any kids, cause Lord knows I wanted 'em!"

I staggered backwards and flopped myself into the chair. Sam had never spoken to me like this. Neither one of us had been happy, but I had actively avoided delving into his mind to find out just how unhappy he was. I occasionally caught glimpses, but only when he was broadcasting loudly, not because I went looking for them. I looked down at my hands for several moments, not sure how to react, before finally looking at his face again. It was a tangled mess of anguish and relief. He had been needed to say his piece for quite some time, apparently. "Well, how do you want to proceed?" I asked softly.

"Let's start with a divorce."


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: As I intend this story to take place over several years, and I don't intend to write any boring filler stuff that I don't have to, I anticipate there will be several time jumps, like the little one there is here. Also, thank you all so much for the kind reviews and the follows/faves. You guys are the best.

 **Chapter 2**

*Six months later*

The whole way home from the lawyer's office felt like an out of body experience. To say I was on auto-pilot driving home was an understatement. It was done. Finally over. Ten years of my life spent with Sam, ended in a conversation neither one of us was planning to have, and then _really_ over with little more than a signature in front of a lawyer in a cheap suit, in an office suite at the end of a strip mall.

I was startled when I realized I made it home. I found myself winding up my long driveway, unaware that I had already closed the hour-long distance between the law office Sam picked out in Shreveport and home.

The divorce went smoothly. Well, as smoothly as it could. Sam bought out my half of the bar. Neither of us tried to go after anything. I kept the house, since we had moved into my Gran's old house, and he still owned plenty of rental properties. At the end of the day, it was a lot of paperwork, and a giant headache, but we both walked in amicably, and walked out the same way. It wasn't that we hated each other, we just knew we had made a mistake, and had stubbornly taken way too many years to admit it.

I settled into my usual chair in the kitchen, with a huge cup of coffee in one hand, and my tablet in the other. I didn't really _need_ a job. I still had plenty of money in the bank, but if I wasn't going to be working at Merlotte's anymore I needed to do something. Being unemployed just wasn't something I knew how to do.

I scrolled through several online want ads, applying at a few places and making notes for myself to call certain other places to inquire about open positions. I was just setting the tablet down to get up and refill my coffee cup when I heard a familiar _pop_ in the living room.

Mr. Cataliades ambled into my kitchen, "Really, Sookie? I know it's been awhile, but you know you could have contacted me for your legal needs, right?"

I smiled, for the first time in a very long time, a smile that reached all the way up to my eyes. "Mr. Cataliades! What a surprise! Sam chose the lawyer, and I had no reason to argue the point, since we didn't really disagree on any of the terms. Come, won't you have a seat? Can I get you something to eat? Some tea?"

He smiled back at me, "Please, Sookie, call me Desmond," and with that he sat down at the kitchen table while I busied myself preparing him a sandwich, a small plate of cookies, and a giant glass of sweet tea.

"Well, Desmond," I said, placing the nearly full platter in front of him, "what brings you here today? Not that I mind! I'm thrilled to see you, but it's been over a decade since we've spoken."

He wasted no time diving right into the food placed in front of him. A happy demon is a hungry demon, after all. It gave me a little peace of mind, seeing him eat like this. I knew if he was here on somber business he would only nibble at the food, or not touch it at all.

"It's come to my attention that as of this morning you are no longer employed." He swallowed almost his entire glass of tea, and clunked it back onto the table.

"So… you've come to offer me a job?" This was a shock. I hadn't seen Mr. Cataliades since before I married Sam, and the day I get divorced, here he is, popping into my house talking about work, as if I saw him yesterday. Color me confused.

"It depends," he smiled at me. "Does your separation from your 'normal' life with the shifter mean you're ready to re-enter our world?"

There it was. He had been avoiding me all these years because I was married to Sam, because I had turned my back on the entire rest of the supernatural world. Yet here he was, offering me a way back into it, just like that.

I just stared at him. I had no idea how to respond. I missed that world, the excitement, adventure, my friends... Eric… but there was the other side too. How many times had I come within an inch of death? How many people I loved had I watched die? How many people had _I_ killed? Besides, even if I got myself involved in all that mess again, there was no real guarantee that I would ever cross paths with Eric again, and even if I did, there was even less guarantee that he would want anything to do with me after the disastrous mess I made of everything.

"Perhaps I should give you some time to think things over, but we both know what you're going to say." Mr. Cataliades winked at me, pulled a business card out of an inner pocket from his suit jacket and placed it on the table, then with another _pop_ I was alone again in my kitchen.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The line only rang once before he picked up the phone. "Ms. Stackhouse! I've been expecting your call. Though, to be honest, I'm surprised you waited an entire week to get back to me." I could hear the smile in his voice as Mr. Cataliades spoke.

"I had some things I needed to take care of first," I lied. I really didn't know why I waited so long. I had spent the last week making pro and con lists in my head, but in the end, the answer had been obvious. It was the only answer there was.

"And your decision is…?"

"Of course, Mr. Cataliades, but as you stated when you were here, we both already knew that." It was my turn to pour my smile into my voice. I hadn't realized until this moment how excited I was about the prospect of doing something, _anything_ in the Supe world again.

"Splendid! We'll get started at once then!" _click, pop_ Just like that he had popped into my house, for the second time in a handful of days.

I moved my phone from my ear, and looked at it, still shocked that he was suddenly _here_ and no longer on the phone. "Some warning would've been nice!" I fussed, to which he responded with a hearty laugh.

"I said we'd start at once, and, really Sookie, where is the fun in giving warning?"

I realized at that moment that I had just agreed to start working, but I had no idea what Mr. Cataliades had in mind.

We walked into the kitchen without a word to one another. He set to work getting his laptop set up on the kitchen table, while I busied myself setting up a tray of food, two glasses, and a pitcher of sweet tea. As I finished setting everything on the table he sat down, and started clicking and typing away at his computer, barely even looking as he helped himself to some food.

"So, um, I…" I couldn't even form a sentence. I felt so stupid for not clarifying what he had in mind before agreeing.

"Don't worry, Sookie, I'm not going to ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. You're still protected under the contract. Besides any new work you agree to will have a new contract written up defining terms and conditions before you even start. I won't have you running blindly into anything," Mr. Cataliades clarified. It had been so long since I'd had someone read _my_ mind, I had forgotten how disarming and simultaneously comforting it could be.

"As far as prospective work at the moment, there are quite a few Packmasters and vampire monarchs that have expressed interest in your abilities, but I have not confirmed with anyone that your services are for hire yet, so you will have the ability to pick and choose as you see fit." He started with his computer again, then turned the screen slightly to show me a long list of potential work he had lined up.

"Well that sounds wonderful, Desmond, thank you," and I really, down to the bottom of my heart, meant it. I could re-enter the Supe world, on my own terms. The only question now was how to re-enter the world of a particular vampire.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 _*Ten years later*_

"Yes, I know how high her asking fee is… Yes, I'm aware of that also… No, I don't think it's too much…" I glanced over at Delila, my assistant, and she rolled her eyes and mimicked shooting herself in the head with her fingers. It didn't sound like the phone call she was dealing with was going any more smoothly than the case I was currently working on.

"Listen, if you want the best, you pay for the best! Think about it, and only call me back if you want to hire Ms. Stackhouse!" I think she would've slammed the phone down if it had been the old fashioned receiver kind of phone I grew up with, but she was resigned to angerly pushing the 'end' button.

"That seemed like it went well," I half-laughed at her. She has a horrible temperament, but she has yet to let me down in the seven years I've employed her. And despite the fact that she's very human, I have yet to come across anything that is too much for her to handle, and in my line of work that's saying something.

"These stupid bitches wanna argue about your fees. They obviously know you're worth it if they're calling in the first place," she fussed back, pretending to be upset about me laughing at her.

"Who was it?" I asked, unsure why I was getting a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Some vampire monarch…. It was a weird name… Shit, I'm sorry Sook, I can't remember now, she got me so riled up… Maybe started with an 'F'?"

"Freyda?" I gulped.

"Yeah! That's the bitch!"

"Bitch, indeed," I could feel a panic set in. Why would she contact me? It's been over 20 years since she stole my Eric away, and now she wants to hire me? Something wasn't adding up.

"Damn, Sookie! I hardly ever hear you call anyone a bitch, what'd she do to you?" Delila asked, and then I saw the realization sweep over her face. I had told her a few years ago, when she tried to hook me up with a friend of hers why I was uninterested in being with anyone, and of course Freyda was a part of that story. "Shit… Well, she didn't tell me why she wanted to hire you, come to think of it, she may have just been poking around for info, but I didn't give her much."

I didn't respond to Delila, instead I turned back to my work, but I really couldn't concentrate on anything. Was she just scoping me out, like Delila suggested? Or was she actually considering hiring me? I couldn't see a situation where she'd have difficulty affording my fee, unless it was just that she didn't think _I_ was worth that much. Honestly, given my experience and my abilities I know the fee Mr. Cataliades helped me determine was perfectly fair. At times less than fair, in some of the situations I had found myself dealing with in the last several years.

As it turns out, I didn't have to wait all that long to find out what Freyda was calling for. Less than an hour after the initial phone call the office phone rang again. "Stackhouse Consulting, Delila speaking. How can we assist you?" Delila smoothly answered in her prepared greeting. "Oh… um… Please hold!" She quickly pushed the button on the receiver.

"What's wrong?" I asked, having a pretty good idea, but hoping I was wrong.

"It's _her_ again. She's decided your fee is fine, if she can meet with you soon. Like, tonight," Delila was obviously nervous. I knew it was in anticipation of how I would respond, because very little rattles this woman, but her nerves weren't helping me at all.

"Shit." _Shit. Shit, shit, shit._ I internally screamed. I haven't done anything to break my end of the contract. Why is she bothering me? "Fine," I managed to mumble to Delila, gesturing that she should continue her conversation with Freyda.

"Ms. Stackhouse has agreed to meet with you this evening, but it must be in a location of her choosing," Delila waited to see how the queen would respond to this. Some Supes were uneasy with this request, but I didn't allow myself to walk into a situation that could allow me to get ambushed. I've spent too long in this world to do anything so foolish.

Delila hung up the phone, and tapped on her desk, effectively bringing me back to reality, and out of my fear inducing day dream. "She agreed. She's already in the area. Sookie… Should I be worried?"

"Yes, Delila. I'm fucking terrified," my choice of words telling her everything she needed to know. I could hear her thinking that in the seven years she's worked for me she could count on one hand the number of times she's heard me use that particular word.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I scooted into my usual booth at the Were bar that I always did my initial business meetings at. I did a lot of business with the local Packmaster, so he offered me space and protection for my meetings in exchange for a slightly reduced rate on any work he needed me to do. It's an arrangement that I'm sure has kept me out of a lot of fights over the years.

I didn't always bring Delila with me on these meetings. In fact, I normally didn't, but when she grabbed her stuff and followed me out the door I made no move to stop her. Quite frankly, I had no idea what I was in for, and I felt I could use the support.

It didn't take long after we got settled into our booth for Freyda to enter the bar, with a vampire on either side of her. Judging by their attire it was pretty safe to assume they were her guards. She spotted me instantly, and glided over to my booth, situating herself opposite Delila and myself. Her guards separated, one remaining by the entrance, the other standing near our booth.

She glared at me in a way that could've peeled the skin off my face, if looks could do such a thing. "The rumors are true," she spat at me, after a long moment.

I didn't answer her, I just kept focusing on her face, and making sure to keep my own expression calm, despite the whirlwind I felt inside.

"You don't look a minute older than you did 20 years ago," she was growing visibly more upset.

I didn't know exactly what she expected of me. Had she really pretended to hire me so that she could look at my face? Couldn't she have hired one of her lackeys to photograph me for her, to save herself the time?

"I'd like to hire you to do something for me." Finally. Freyda did actually have a job for me. I allowed myself to relax just a little bit, letting out a breath I hadn't even realized I was holding.

"Ok," I responded carefully. I had no idea what could set her off, and while part of me figured I could handle her with the powers I'd developed over the last 20 years, I still didn't want to risk it.

"I've been unable to locate Dr. Ludwig, and my child has grown quite ill. I've never seen anything like it. I've heard rumors that you've come into your Fae powers, and that healing might be among them. Would you be willing to heal my child?" Her mood had switched to noticeably worried.

"You've never seen anything like it?" I was suddenly worried too. "What are the symptoms?"

"Does this mean you'll help me?"

I thought for several moments about how this might turn out. Was this a trap? Is there a new vampire disease? Do I really want to help _her?_ In the end, curiosity got the better of me, as it so often does. "Yes, Freyda. I will attempt to heal your child."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It didn't take long to arrive at the hotel with Freyda's guard driving. I had asked Delila to sit this one out, and to let Mr. Cataliades know what I was up to. I really had no way of knowing if I was being led straight into a trap or not, and I didn't need to drag her into that situation.

As we approached the door to the room I could feel the vampires around me tense up. I took a steadying breath, and proceeded into the room. Nothing in all my experience could've prepared me for what I saw on the bed.

Most vampires are pale. It's kind of a given. This vampire did not look like that. His skin was translucent, showing veins and tendons clearly under his skin. His eyes, ears, and mouth were all covered in varying amounts of blood. "He's been like this for almost a week," Freyda whispered.

Before I had a chance to respond he started dry heaving. He then sputtered up some blood.

I knew my eyes were the size of dinner plates when Freyda and her guard companions looked at me to see what I would do. I have seen a lot of things, especially in my crazy work over the last decade, but I have _never_ seen anything like this. Vampires injected with liquid silver don't even look this rough, and that's saying something.

The door opened then, and another vampire joined the room.

"Thalia?" I was beyond shocked. "You're working for Freyda?"

She grunted her disapproval at my question before answering, "I am not. I am here because Northman asked me to be here. It appears _you_ are the one working for Freyda."

I couldn't say anything without giving myself away. She just mentioned Eric. She's here because he asked her to be here. Did he know Freyda intended to contact me? Is Thalia here because Eric knows I am here? Instead of letting myself stay frozen on the spot, considering what I'd just heard, I figured I'd better do something before Freyda decided to kill me for thinking about her husband too long.

I walked carefully over to her child, a young man I had never met before, who had clearly seen better days. I hovered my hands over him to try to get a sense of what was going on internally.

"When is the last time he fed?" I asked, barely above a whisper. He felt so weak. So very weak.

"Every time he's tried in the last few days he's spat everything up. Tonight, he's too weak to drop fang."

"You said you tried to contact Dr. Ludwig?" I really wasn't sure if I could handle this without her. Healing is a skill I've acquired, but it's not my strong suit. "How long have you been trying to reach her?" I glanced over at Freyda then, and was shocked to see bloody tears streaming down her face.

"I didn't call her until this evening. I should've tried sooner. I didn't realize how bad it was," Freyda half sobbed.

At that moment he started convulsing, blood pouring from his mouth. Without thinking I jumped into action. I flung myself down next to the young man, and wrapped my arms around him until the convulsions stopped. Once he was calmed, I lifted his shirt from his abdomen, and pressed my hands onto his chest. I poured all the healing energy I could muster into him. I faintly registered the murmurs in the room around me as my hands began to glow with bright white light into this poor, sick, baby vamps chest.

I was able to witness his eyes begin to regain focus right before I passed out.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well, obviously she's powerful, you nit wit! It doesn't mean she should be traipsing around healing sick vamps without letting anyone know what she's doing though!" I could hear Dr. Ludwig screaming. I opened my eyes to find myself in the same hotel room, but Dr. Ludwig and Mr. Cataliades had joined our party.

I pulled myself up, almost into a sitting position, on the bed they had apparently thrown me onto after my little episode.

"Sorry," I grumbled. "Didn't mean to use that much energy, I panicked when he got bad."

"As much as I hate to admit this, Sookie, you did exactly what was needed for that deader," Dr. Ludwig angerly replied. "I haven't seen a case of Sangue Debolezza in many, many years, but when it gets left untreated that long," she paused to glare at Freyda, "it becomes incurable. I might not have been able to help him as well as you did."

That came as a shock to me. Healing was the least developed of my abilities, yet I was able to do something Dr. Ludwig doubted her own ability to do.

"So, he's going to be ok?" I asked, a weird mixture of shocked and hopeful filling me.

"You did good, Faery, you did good. Now, about you. This normally happen when you heal someone?" Dr. Ludwig asked.

"Not always," I responded. "Only when I overdo it. It's not something I make a habit of though."

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the last outbreak of this disease didn't take long to spread, and I can't handle it the way you did once it's past three days. If you're willing to work on honing that healing skill you've got, I'm sure it'll be worth your while financially real soon."

"Shit, you think there's gonna be more like that? How does it spread?"

"We'll talk more in a safe place, let's get this all situated here first," Dr. Ludwig said, and then turned her attentions to the young male vampire on the other bed in the room.

After Mr. Cataliades finished speaking with Freyda and her guards, he made his way over to me with Thalia at his side. "If you're going to agree to work with Dr. Ludwig on any future outbreaks of the blood disease, Thalia here has been kind enough to offer her services as your body guard during any travels you may have to make."

"That's kind, but you don't have to, Thalia," I smiled to her.

"I'm aware of what I do and do not have to do," she didn't smile back, and it was settled. Thalia was my bodyguard.

"Can you fly?" I asked her.

"No. Do I look like the Northman?"

"I asked because I was planning to fly home, since I was driven here, and I wasn't sure if you'd need a ride," I said back, not half as snarky as she had been, rather enjoying the look of confusion that swept briefly over her face before she regained her rigid composure. "I'll take it that you need a lift," I smiled, and led her out to the balcony, wrapped my arm around her waist, and flew us into the air.

"What the…." And then it happened, Thalia actually smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: So sorry about the crazy delay on this chapter. Everyone in my house had the flu (including me) which doesn't make for a great muse. Hopefully everything will mellow back out, and writing will get back on schedule. Much love to everyone reading!_

 **Chapter 5**

The next two months were relatively calm. I would get the occasional emergency vampire illness phone call, but for the most part it was business as usual.

Then the calls started coming more frequently. By the third month I was receiving at least a call or two a week. I found myself traveling almost constantly, unable to find much down time in between healing jobs.

By month four I had to completely put my normal business on hold. I was getting calls almost daily, and traveling all over the country. Dr. Ludwig handled what she could, but if the disease was allowed to spread past three nights without her care, it was beyond what she could heal.

At the six month mark there were more sick vampires than I was physically capable of handling. We set up a few centrally located vampire hospitals in different regions of the country, and I traveled to and from them, having sick vampires flock there, as it was easier for me to concentrate on going to specific locations repeatedly. Even then, there were more showing up each night than I had the physical fortitude to heal. Despite my best efforts vampires were dying.

Around seven months sick vampires were attacking humans at rates that were no longer able to glamoured away. Every news channel and newspaper were flooded with story after story of deranged vampires attacking humans out in the open, viciously ripping them to pieces. It was already a large problem before it became a known problem, but there were vampires in each kingdom dedicated to just cleaning up the messes by any means necessary. To be honest, we were all surprised it took so long for the issues to be leaked.

It didn't take long with the news turned decidedly anti-vampire for new factions of anti-vampire hate groups to rise. Riots started almost immediately. By month ten there were political parties in the human government dedicated to either protecting vampire rights, or trying to rid the world of vampires altogether.

Around the eleventh month the disease started to slow down, simply because it had already made its way through the vast majority of the vampire population. The anti-vampire groups, on the other hand, were ramping up harder than ever. Lots of vampires that managed to evade the illness or get healed from it, ended up meeting their final deaths by way of angry humans.

Most of the remaining vampires had to go into hiding around this time, retreating away from any publicly registered homes and seeking shelter in more private places. After several attempts to attack one of our hospitals we decided to close them down, and I went back to traveling directly to sick vampires.

At the twelve month point I was back to receiving the stray call here and there. It was at this point, when things started to seem like they might calm down just a little bit, that I got an unexpected phone call that changed everything…

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I could sense Delila's agitation with the person she was speaking to. It wasn't really a shock, given the combination of her usual temperament, and the stressors of the last year.

"That is not how this works. You speak to me. I arrange the appointment. Ms. Stackhouse then comes to you. I'm not handing the phone to her." Delila's annoyance was palpable. "Fine! I will! But it won't change anything!" She huffed, before placing the call on hold, and looking up to me. "It's someone calling themselves Karin The Slaughterer… She thinks if I tell you that you'll take the phone," Delila scoffed at me. Without a word to her, I held out my hand for the phone, completely shocking her.

"Karin! What is it?" I hadn't talked to her in over 20 years. I knew if she was calling it had to be an emergency, and it had to involve someone I loved.

"Pam. She is ill," Karin announced.

I had been so busy over the past year that I barely had time to think about a certain vampire, much less his offspring. I thought of him often, but only in short bursts between patients. I had it in my mind in the beginning that I'd gouge information from Thalia, but we had barely been out of Freyda's hotel room for five minutes before we were interrupted by Dr. Ludwig telling us the horrors of Sangue Debolezza, and what lay ahead of us.

"There's more you should know before you come," Karin interrupted my train of thought. "My maker is here… As is his wife."

"I understand, Karin. Thank you. Please give your location information to Delila, and we'll be there soon," and I handed the phone back to Delila, and walked away to find Thalia.


	6. Chapter 6

_A.N. – Sorry for going AWOL…. Blah blah, broken ankle, blah blah, divorce, blah. No guarantees that updates won't continue to be sporadic until I get the shit show that is my life under control, but I will do my best to be better about updating more frequently._

 **Chapter 6**

The scene was hard to take in. Pam was laying on a bed in the center of the room. Eric was practically on top of her, his face pressed to the side of her head, most likely whispering in her ear, rendering his face obscured from my vantage point at the doorway. Freyda was standing nearby, against the wall to my left, observing everything, with six of her guards spread throughout the moderately sized space. Karin stood against the wall opposite Freyda, wearing a scowl that was uncharacteristically dark even for her, and refusing to move her glare from Freyda's direction.

I could feel my breath hitch when I saw him, but I knew I was treading on very delicate ground here and needed to focus on the task at hand. I knew everyone in the room was aware I had entered, yet none of them turned their attention to me for several moments, causing the tension I was feeling to almost boil over, before Karin finally glanced in my direction.

"Eric was forbidden to call you to heal Pam," Karin finally explained to me, in lieu of a greeting. I gasped in response. No wonder the room was tense enough to cut through. Freyda had used me to heal her own child, a very young vampire, no more than a handful of years in the making. While she refused to allow Eric to have me heal Pam, who had been by his side for hundreds of years. No doubt Freyda was plotting her punishment for at very least Karin, if not the lot of us, right this very moment.

I made the decision then and there, that if I was already going to have to deal with Freyda's insanity, I was at very least going to do what I came here to do, and I started walking towards Pam. Freyda growled at me as I got within ten feet of the bed. "You can just stop that right now," I snapped. "I do not know, or care, why you have decided Pam doesn't deserve the same healing your baby vamp got, but I am here, and I am going to heal my friend!" Eric finally glanced at me then. His face smeared with blood tears, both old and new. He obviously hadn't left Pam's side in several days. Him moving also made her more visible than she had been. "Oh god…" I whispered. She was knocking on deaths door. If Karin hadn't called me when she did I wouldn't have gotten here in time… I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to be able to cure someone this far gone. "How long…?" was all I was able to ask.

"Two weeks," Eric croaked back.

Freyda really intended to let Pam die.

I closed the rest of the distance without hesitation then. I was furious at Freyda, but I would have to deal with that later. When I got to Pam, I glanced to Thalia, she nodded at me. She understood my meaning. We were in a room full of Freyda's guards, and there was a pretty good chance I would pass out from performing a healing this intense, even with a year of practice under my belt.

With Thalia's go ahead, I took a deep steadying breath, and glanced up at Eric. His blue eyes staring intently at me, looked even more fierce with the stark contrast of the bright red blood staining his face. I tried to will my face to smile at him, but it didn't happen. I just stared back into his eyes for a moment, before looking back down at Pam.

 _Shit. This is bad. This is the worst case I've seen._

With one more steadying breath I placed my hands onto her flesh and shoved all the healing power I could muster into her body. Wave after wave, until my hands were glowing blindingly, and I felt like my own skin was on fire. I could hear the concern in Eric's voice as he said my name, right before I lost consciousness and fell to the floor.

I awoke with a start moments later. There was a lot of yelling going on, but it hadn't come to blows yet, thankfully. I couldn't catch everything being said, but the gist of it seemed to be that Freyda was mad at Karin for calling me, me for showing up and actually healing Pam, Eric for allowing me to do so, and Thalia for working with me over the last year. Karin was mad at Freyda for being such a fucking bitch (her words, not mine), and Eric for being pussy whipped (again, Karin's words). Eric was pissed at Freyda for basically existing in the first place, and especially for trying to use the contract as a way to make him sit idly by while watching his progeny die; and mad at Karin for not understanding why he didn't just go against the contract to save Pam.

As I regained my composure, I pulled myself up off the ground, and checked on my patient. I figured if everyone else was going to keep themselves occupied with this insanity, I was at least going to verify that I had done some good for Pam. As I reached her side I noticed her complexion was returning to something a little less grey and see-through, but she still didn't look amazing.

I cleared my throat loudly, effectively causing every vampire in the room to stop arguing and turn to me in unison. "This is a lot of fun and all, but she is most likely going to need one more healing session, and I really can't concentrate with all this yelling going on."

"You've done quite enough here, Bloodbag," Freyda barked in my direction.

"That's Princess Bloodbag Brigant to you, Your Majesty," I barked back, reminding her of my royal fae heritage. It's not something I throw in people's faces often, but feeling the threatening tone in her voice, I figured the reminder that there would be consequences to messing with me might not be such a bad thing. Thalia and Karin both snickered quietly at my response, and the resulting incredulous look on Freyda's face. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to finish the work I came here to do," I said, and turned my attention back to Pam. I was confident that between Thalia and Karin I would be protected if Freyda was arrogant enough to try anything, even if Eric felt he couldn't do anything due to his contract.

The rest of the healing process went relatively smoothly. I was able to use more of a gentle stream of healing energy, rather than the huge crushing waves that tear me up so thoroughly to use. When all was said and done, she still wasn't 100% back to normal, but I was confident that with a couple of good feedings she'd be back to herself, and she'd be able to keep down the blood now.

Pam's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly up at me. "It wasn't a dream then, you are here," she barely whispered. "My master has missed you so much."

At that Freyda lost what little was remaining of her composure. "This is a breach of contract!" She shrieked. "I'll have all your heads for this!"

"I was hoping you'd say that," Thalia retorted, readying her stance for fighting, causing everyone in the room to follow suit.

"I'm going to start with you, you little blond bitch," she glared at me.

"Of course you are," I smiled back.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

As Freyda made her way towards me, with fangs drawn and death in her glare, Eric made short work of putting himself between us. Without missing a beat he lunged forward and ripped into her throat with his fangs. Her guards moved in to attack, but between Thalia, Karin and myself they really didn't stand a chance. In a matter of moments Freyda and all six of her guards were reduced to little more than a large mass of red goo coating the floor.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," moaned Eric, confirming my suspicions that he was miserable with her.

"Yes, but now we'll have to deal with the legal ramifications," Thalia retorted, wearing her signature stern look.

Eric tsked in response, but we all knew Thalia was right. Things were about to get really messy politically.

"I know a good lawyer," I barely whispered, trying to lighten the mood.

It was then that Eric finally looked at me. Really looked at me. I could see his eyes lingering over the parts of me covered in Freyda and her guards remains. I could sense the mixture of desire and regret in his gaze. My breath hitched. I knew every vampire in the room knew exactly how I felt in that moment.

"I do suppose I would benefit from the aide of Mr. Cataliades," Eric finally responded, breaking the single most nerve-wracking awkward silence I have ever been subjected to.

We began to make our way out of the blood soaked room, Eric cradling the still weak Pam in his arms.

I knew we still had a long road ahead of us, but for the first time in decades I was exactly where I wanted to be.


	8. Chapter 8

Authors Note- Thank you all for hanging in there with me, and for the kind words. Life has been insane over the past year, but I am passionate about finishing this story, and I hope you'll see this through to the end with me. Much love!!

Chapter 8

In the months during the devastating effects of Sangue Debolezza, it seemed the vast majority of humans turned against vampires. It was a tricky time to be a Supe, anywhere in the world, but especially in the United States, which seemed to be hit the hardest by the disease.

The Fellowship of the Sun, and other anti-vampire groups had managed to garner a lot of political power over the course of the last year.

It seemed that the events of the last 12 months had completely undone the work vampire political factions had spent nearly a century developing.

While some charismatic vampires maintained their positions in the public eye, advocating for vampire rights, the vast majority of supernaturals returned to lives of secrecy, forced back into the coffin.

Factories where True Blood and other blood substitutes were produced were a constant target for bombings, and other such attacks. The few underground factories that managed to evade these attacks just simply couldn't produce the volume necessary to keep up with the demand.

Despite the vampire authority placing a law into effect that no vampires were to make new progeny until everything was under control, baby vamp numbers were skyrocketing, and feral vampire attacks were on the rise. Which did nothing to help matters with the vehemently anti-vampire groups.

There were stories on the news daily about advancements in weapons against vampires.

It was becoming increasingly more apparent every day that things were going to come to a head very soon, in a very ugly way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mr. Cataliades proved to be extremely helpful in the weeks following Freyda's death. Eric was brought before the authority, and all charges were dropped on the grounds that Freyda herself breeched the contracts' no contact clause when she had me heal her progeny.

I hadn't seen Eric since that night. Desmond thought it would be in Eric's best interest to not be seen interacting with me until he was cleared of any treason and breech of contract charges.

According to Pam, who I was now speaking with constantly, primarily via text, Eric needed time to wrap his head around recent developments.

To say it was utter agony would be an understatement. I resigned myself years ago to never even seeing Eric again. At some point after realizing I was no longer aging at a human rate, I had a glimmer of hope that I may at least see him after his contract was completed. After actually seeing him again, being away from him was more than I could bear.

The phone rang, pulling me from my thought. Months ago, when the vampire attacks started, we preemptively relocated our business from the office building in Shreveport to my home. I figured the fae and witch wards would keep us significantly safer, as I was a known 'vampire sympathizer.'

"Stackhouse residence," Delila answered the phone. "Slow down, I can barely understand you!"

"LET ME SPEAK TO SOOKIE, YOU INCOMPETENT BITCH!" I heard Eric's voice bellow through the receiver.

Delila began to reply, but noticed me running for the phone before she got any words out.

I took the phone from her. Before I had a chance to deliver any form of greeting Eric realized I was on the line.

"We were attacked. Pam was still quite weak, and is badly injured. Karin suggested you would be better suited to heal her than Dr. Ludwig."

"Of course," I responded. "Where are you? I'll be there immediately."

"Can we come to you?"


End file.
